Illuminating flare



Aug 31, 1948. c. D. SCHERMULY ET Al. 2,448,471

ILLUMINATING FLARE Filed May 31, 1945 Patented Aug. 3l, 1948 ILLUMINATING FLARE Conrad David Schermuly, Alfred James Schermuly, and Charles Schermuly, Parkgate, Newdigate, England Application May 31, 1945, Serial No.` 596,850 In Great Britain Ji une 29, 1944 (Cl. IOR-7) 4 Claims.

This inventionv relates to illuminating flares and has for its object to provide means whereby a flare can be dropped from an aircraft into water and be ignited in the water.

According to this invention a fiare device adapted to burn while floating on water comprises a casing, a buoyancy chamber on said casing, a flare candle Within said casing, a removable cover enclosing the lower part of said casing, a fuze in said cover adapted to be ignited when the device strikes the water, a candle ignition train leading from a point adjacent said fuze to the top of said are candle and adapted to be ignited by said fuze, a separating charge within said cover for the purpose of separating said cover from said easing and means for igniting said separating charge after the ignition of said candle ignition train.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional elevation of a are device in accordance with the invention, but the invention is not limited to the particular device shown.

A casing I is provided with a buoyancy chamber 2. The lower part of the casing I is enclosed within a cover 3 which is secured to a swaged portion 4 of the buoyancy chamber 2 by a weak soft solder joint 5. The upper end of the casing I is closed by a cap 6 having a central orifice over which a cover plate 1 is secured by a weak soft solder joint. The upper end of the buoyancy chamber 2 is provided with stabilizing ns 8 to steady the device when it is dropped from an aircraft. The casing I contains a iiare candle 9 which is held in position by means of a spacer I0. The top of the flare candle 9 is closed by a cover II of combustible material, such as book muslin, to which is secured a looped strip I2 of primed cambric. The Llower end of the casing I carri-es a block I3 secured thereto. This block I3 has a central orifice I 4 containing a charge of powder I5 and a passage I6 through which passes a length of instantaneous fuze I1. One end of the fuze I1 is embedded in the charge I5 and the other end is joined to a length of delay fuze I8. In contact with the upper end of the delay fuze I8 is a length of quickmatch I9 lightly tamped down at its lower end at 20. The quickmatch I9 is contained in a tube 2I, for example of copper, which passes through the buoyancy chamber 2. The upper end of the quickmatch I9 is tied at 22 to another length of quickmatch 23 which is looped through the strip I2. The quickmatch 23 is surrounded by a paper tube 24.

The lower end of the cover 3 is closed by a cap 25 having a central hole for the passage of a contact fuze 26. Between the cap 25 and the block I3 are arranged a metal block 21, a primed cambric disc 28 and spacers 29, all of these hav-l ing a central aperture. .The metal block V21 serves as a weight to ensure-that the dewce as'- sumes the correct position when dropped into water. The block 21 is provided with an annular recess which is filled with a, separating charge 30, and with a small hole 3l through which passes a short length of quickmatch 32, one end of which is embedded in the separating charge 30 and the other end of which is in contact with the primed cambric disc 28. Another short length of quickmatch 33 connects the primed cambric disc 28 with the charge I5.

When the device is released from an aircraft, it falls with the contact fuze directed dow-nwardly, the fall being stabilized by the ns 8. When the fuze 26 strikes the water it is actuated and the ash therefrom ignites in turn the charge I5, the instantaneous fuze I1, the delay fuze I8, the quickmatches I9 and 23, the strip I2, the cover II and the candle 9. The charge I5 also ignites in turn the quickmatch 33, the cambric disc 28, the quickmatch 32 and the separating charge 30. The explosion of the charge 3D causes the cover 3 to be separated from the buoyancy chamber 2 at the Weak joint 5, and the cover 3, the block 21 and the spacers 29 fall away from the casing I which thereupon floats on the surface of the water by virtue of the buoyancy chamber 2. The ignition of the candle ignition train (I5, I1, I8, I9, 23, I2, II) is well started before the separation of the cover 3. The gases developed by the burning candle 9 force olf the cover plate 1.

We claim:

l. A flare device adapted to burn while floating on water comprising a casing, a buoyancy chamber on said casing, a flare candle within said casing, a removable ballistic covering enclosing the lower part of said casing, a fuze in said cover adapted to be ignited when the device strikes the water, a candle ignition train leading from a point adjacent said fuze to the top of said flare candle and adapted to be ignited by said fuze, a separating charge within said cover for the purpose of separating said cover from said casing said ignition train comprising a charge of powder adapted to be ignited by said fuze, an instantaneous fuze having one end embedded in said charge, a delay fuZe joined at one end to said instantaneous fuze and a length of quick- :match joined at one end to said delay fuze and 3 at the other end to the top of said flare candle and powder train means between the fuze and separating charge whereby said separating charge is ignited after the ignition of said candle ignition train.

2. A flare device as claimed in claim 1 in which the cover is secured toV a swaged1r portion of said buoytancy chamber by means of a weak soldered joln 3. A flare device adapted to burn while oating on Water comprising a casing, a buoyancy chamber on said casing, stabilizing fins on said. buoyancy chamber, a flare candle within said casing, a removable cover enclosing the lower part of said casing, a weak joint securing said cover to said buoyancy chamber, a heavy plate having an annular recess in said cover, a fuze-in-said cover adapted to be ignited when the device strikes the water, a candle ignition train leading from a point adjacent said fuze to the topl of said candle and adapted torbe ignited by said fuze, said candle ignition train comprising a charge of powder adapted` to be ignited by said fuze, an instantaneous fuze-having one end embedded in said charge, a delay fuze joined at one end to saidinstantaneous fuze and a length of quickmatch joined atone end to said delay fuze and casing and means for igniting said separating charge after ignition of. said candleignition train. 4. A flare device as in claim 3 wherein the weak joint is a soldered joint. 10 CONRAD DAVID SCHERMULY. ALFRED JAMES SCHERMULY. CHARLES SCHERMULY.

15 REFERENCES CITED l The following references are of record in the le of this patent: Y Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date 1,394,335 Nichols Oct. `18, 1921 2,114,213 Clauser Apr. 12, 1938 2,119,697" VAnderson June '7, 1938 FOREIGNA PATENTS 5 Number Country Date 407,993 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1934 4 at the other end to the top of said flare candle, a tube extending from the bottom to the topi of said buoyancy chamber for the reception of part of said candle ignition train, a separating charge in said recess for separating said cover from said 

